Geneva Concours d'Elegance rolls into town

From left, Tom Drebenstedt of Chicago, Chris Aupperle of Rockford and Kathy Chilis of Chicago check out a 1958 Porsche 356A (T2) Speedster owned by Tom Kingbell during a previous Geneva Concours d'Elegance classic car show. This year's show is on Sunday, Aug. 25 in downtown Geneva.Daily Herald File Photo

Submitted by Geneva Concours d’Elegance

The public will have an opportunity to experience a close-up look at some of the few remaining and seldom seen 1950s General Motors Motorama concept cars from the Bortz Auto Collection.

They will be featured at the Geneva Concours d'Elegance on Sunday, Aug. 25, in the downtown business district of historic Geneva, along Third Street between State and South streets and all side streets. The free show runs 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

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Most of the early concept cars from the 1950s were designated to be destroyed by GM once they completed the Auto Show circuit. Chubb Personal Insurance is sponsoring the cars from the Bortz Auto Collection where two of the cars have just returned from a showing at the Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance.

The four GM Motorama cars that will be on display at the Geneva Concours d'Elegance are the 1953 Motorama Buick Wildcat I, 1955 Motorama Chevrolet Biscayne, 1955 Motorama LaSalle II four-door sedan and the 1955 Motorama LaSalle II Roadster.

The latter three cars are part of the Great Warhoops Junkyard Find of 1988. In the past few years, the 1955 GM Motorama Chevrolet Biscayne and the LaSalle II Roadster have been carefully restored by their owner. The companion car to the Roadster, the 1955 LaSalle II Sedan, will be displayed in "as found" condition. The 1955 LaSalle II Roadster will make its first "in motion" debut at the show. This car was built with a non-running V6 aluminum block, double overhead cam, fuel injected engine. GM had plans to electrify the car in the trunk area so that it could be driven into the various auto shows, rather than pushed; however, this plan was never completed by GM. During the Bortz Auto Collection's restoration, they completed the electrification. Now for the first time since 1955, the car will be seen "in motion" at the Geneva Concours d'Elegance.

The Geneva Concours d'Elegance is an invitational automobile show held on Third Street and environs in the heart of historic Geneva's downtown business district where tree-lined streets with their shops, boutiques and restaurants offer a unique venue for the classics on display. The show draws thousands of spectators to view over 175 of the finest examples of classic, exotic and race automobiles. Many owners are hoping to take home the coveted Carl F Benz Trophy. This year, the Concours is celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Lincoln Highway with emphasis on the highway's first decade and the 50th anniversary of the Porsche 911.

The LivingWell Cancer Resource Center is the beneficiary of proceeds from this year's Concours.